MLB Player News

Vargas went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 5-4 win over the Nationals.

With the two-hit night, Vargas pushed his average over the Mendoza line for the first time since April 10. He now has a five-game hitting streak and multiple knocks in three of those. Vargas is now slashing .209/.342/.429 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 19 runs scored, five stolen bases and a 17:16 BB:K across 111 plate appearances.

Gonzales went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Friday against the Brewers.

Gonzales was briefly overtaken by Nick Yorke for playing time in mid-April, but Gonzales started his fifth consecutive game Friday -- the last three of which have come at third base. He drove in a run in the fourth inning with an RBI single, and he later scored a run after reaching base on an error. Gonzales has tallied at least one hit in each of his last five starts and has gone 8-for-19 with two RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in that span.

The Cubs designated Kingery for assignment Friday.

Kingery won a spot on the Cubs' bench out of spring training but has since appeared in just eight games while going 1-for-4 at the plate and tallying two runs and a steal. He'll be pushed off the active roster in favor of Nicky Lopez, whose contract was selected from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Keaschall is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Rays.

The 23-year-old started Minnesota's first 25 games of the season, and he'll take a seat Friday after posting a .202/.245/.263 slash line with one homer and five steals. Tristan Gray will step in at the keystone with Keaschall on the bench.

Ortiz isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

Ortiz will get a day to rest after snapping his six-game hitless streak with his single against the Tigers on Thursday. David Hamilton will start at shortstop Friday while Luis Rengifo mans the hot corner.

Julien is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Mets.

Julien went 7-for-23 with five RBI and four runs scored during the Rockies' recent six-game homestand, but he will get a breather Friday as the team begins a road trip. Tyler Freeman is handling second base and batting cleanup.

The Brewers recalled Black from Triple-A Nashville on Friday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Black has hit .282/.378/.410 with one home run and two steals in 10 games for Nashville since returning from an undisclosed injury. The left-handed bat could see some action against right-handed pitching while the Brewers navigate injuries to Christian Yelich (groin), Jackson Chourio (hand) and Andrew Vaughn (hand).

Kim went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base Thursday in a 3-0 win against San Francisco.

Kim produced the game's final run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. The 27-year-old started at shortstop for the third straight game while Mookie Betts (oblique) remains sidelined, but Kim's playing time overall this season has been sporadic despite his effectiveness when called upon, as he's slashing .324/.415/.471 with one home run, five RBI, five runs and four stolen bases in as many attempts. Given his numbers with the big-league club, Kim may be earning a permanent spot on the 26-man roster even after Betts returns to action.

Arraez went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 3-0 loss to the Dodgers.

Arraez drew a walk in the first inning and subsequently stole second. The 29-year-old infielder reached base on a leadoff single in the fourth as well, accounting for San Francisco's lone hit in the contest. He's slashing .304/.340/.359 with 11 runs scored, six RBI and three stolen bases across 101 plate appearances as the Giants' everyday second baseman.

Chisholm went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 4-2 win against Boston on Thursday.

Chisholm produced the only run against Red Sox starter Payton Tolle with a solo blast to right field in the fifth inning. That was Chisholm's first long ball of the campaign after a 23-game homerless drought. The veteran infielder also logged his second multi-hit effort in the past three days after not collecting more than one hit in any of his first 21 contests. Chisholm is still slashing a meager .188/.274/.282, but he's showing signs of busting out of what has been a rough opening month of the season.